I have found myself with time this week recovering from flu!!Looking on the Leeds forum one guy put up a Leeds reserve team which is quite strong based on players not making what he believed would be their starting 17 .1 Golding2 Handley3 Keinhorst4 A Sutcliffe 5 Newman6 Cam Smith7 Lilley8 Oledski9 Walters10 Galloway11 Ferres12 Delaney 13 OrmonroydGoing off squad numbers and fitness I think we would line up pretty well.1. Escare2. Davies ... depends on Manfreidi getting fit.3.Higgson4. Forsythe5.Marshall6. J Woods7. Shorrocks8. Naverette9.Ganson10.Bretherton11. Wells12. Isa13. Hamlin Now I know players like Isa and Ecarre are going to be knocking around or in the first team most games, same for a few more and also on the Leeds team. Though if the players are there and already being paid a contract why are they not running a reserve team? Its reported that costs of thirty thousand pounds a year would be the sum total ... even that seems on the large side to me. I read somwhere that the average debut age in the NRL is 25, with that in mind why not model our reserve structure on that, so basically an under 25's but with maybe the option of two players above that age to be alllowed each week. The squads and coaching is already in place and payed for. Its a crazy situation that we are loseing players and failing to develop ones that when you look at those stats from the NRL could still turn into very good players.

Just a detail, but I find that really hard to believe. As many debut after 25 as before? I can think of a two or three late starters, who are often commented on as very much the exception to the rule. With the number of teenage regular starters in the NRL, it implies some aren't getting a first-grade game until they're pushing thirty!

Just a detail, but I find that really hard to believe. As many debut after 25 as before? I can think of a two or three late starters, who are often commented on as very much the exception to the rule. With the number of teenage regular starters in the NRL, it implies some aren't getting a first-grade game until they're pushing thirty!

Just re read what I wrote and it should have said most have made debut before 25 hence the idea of under 25's. I will put it down to me being under the weather. I hope that mekes a little more sense.

The lack of a reserve league frustrates me. For me, dual reg doesn’t work. It is a half hearted attempt at the Australian style feeder team whilst allowing them to keep their own identity.

If, for the most part, the rest of the league are not interested in running a reserve team we (along with St Helens) should explore the possibility of entering the reserves into the lower leagues to give them regular competitive games, a similar system works in Spanish football where the top clubs have B teams playing in the lower leagues.

The lack of a reserve league frustrates me. For me, dual reg doesn’t work. It is a half hearted attempt at the Australian style feeder team whilst allowing them to keep their own identity.

If, for the most part, the rest of the league are not interested in running a reserve team we (along with St Helens) should explore the possibility of entering the reserves into the lower leagues to give them regular competitive games, a similar system works in Spanish football where the top clubs have B teams playing in the lower leagues.

It's a fair point but there's the issue of devaluing the competition, as Wigan reserves would be one of, if not the best, in League 1, which doesn't exactly look great to sponsors and potential fans of League 1 sides. Then you either promote them to the Championship and teams moan that you're taking money/opportunities away from the club who would have been promoted, and bringing tiny crowds to cash strapped Championship sides, or you leave them in League 1 and they keep tonking everyone.

The NCL is a higher standard but discipline is far worse than at academy or League 1 level, especially as the team would be young and up against sides of grown men wanting to bully them, particularly given the Wigan factor.

Personally, I'd look at trying to link up to send lads out to play for NCL sides when not selected, give the amateur game a boost. It would need some sort of rule around not sending too many to the same club (3 max) and not doing it for cup/play off games, but could be something to look at. May positively impact attendances if the amateur sides feel like they benefit from the pro game for a change, imagine the buzz if Sutton, Manfredi and Isa turned out for Pats one Saturday! Another benefit of this is that players who are released may be more likely to return to the amateur game rather than stop playing, as many sadly do.

Frank Zappa wrote:

Some scientists claim that hydrogen, because it is so plentiful, is the basic building block of the universe. I dispute that. I say there is more stupidity than hydrogen, and that is the basic building block of the universe.

The_Enforcer wrote:

Most idiotic post ever goes to Grimmy..... The way to restart should be an arm wrestle between a designated player from each side.

It's a fair point but there's the issue of devaluing the competition, as Wigan reserves would be one of, if not the best, in League 1, which doesn't exactly look great to sponsors and potential fans of League 1 sides. Then you either promote them to the Championship and teams moan that you're taking money/opportunities away from the club who would have been promoted, and bringing tiny crowds to cash strapped Championship sides, or you leave them in League 1 and they keep tonking everyone.

The NCL is a higher standard but discipline is far worse than at academy or League 1 level, especially as the team would be young and up against sides of grown men wanting to bully them, particularly given the Wigan factor.

Personally, I'd look at trying to link up to send lads out to play for NCL sides when not selected, give the amateur game a boost. It would need some sort of rule around not sending too many to the same club (3 max) and not doing it for cup/play off games, but could be something to look at. May positively impact attendances if the amateur sides feel like they benefit from the pro game for a change, imagine the buzz if Sutton, Manfredi and Isa turned out for Pats one Saturday! Another benefit of this is that players who are released may be more likely to return to the amateur game rather than stop playing, as many sadly do.

They put this to the clubs and were unanimously told no. They were wanting the players to go back to their original clubs, which would totally distort things as you look at someone like St Pats who would have the pick then someone like ourselves who only have a couple of players like John Bateman knocking about that level

They put this to the clubs and were unanimously told no. They were wanting the players to go back to their original clubs, which would totally distort things as you look at someone like St Pats who would have the pick then someone like ourselves who only have a couple of players like John Bateman knocking about that level

Yeah see that's what I meant regarding max of 3 players to any one club and not doing it for the cup/play offs. Maybe a rule that you split them equally as well (so we have 2 on one side and 1 on the other, rather than 3 and 0). I wouldn't make it compulsory that they play for their original side, but sides geographically near SL clubs would obviously benefit more. Clearly it wouldn't be appropriate at Bradford Dudley Hill's level (division 2), but I could see it working in the Premier division, although the Cumbrian sides may be at a disadvantage.

You will have seen the problems we have with player numbers on a Saturday afternoon, how many players we lose from the game when they don't get signed on from academy, money troubles at amateur level and the ill feeling between amateur clubs and the pro game. Do you not think this might help?

Frank Zappa wrote:

Some scientists claim that hydrogen, because it is so plentiful, is the basic building block of the universe. I dispute that. I say there is more stupidity than hydrogen, and that is the basic building block of the universe.

The_Enforcer wrote:

Most idiotic post ever goes to Grimmy..... The way to restart should be an arm wrestle between a designated player from each side.

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